Sir Charlie to step down as John Lewis chairman

John Lewis Partnership has begun the search for only its sixth chairman in nearly 100 years

Sir Charlie Mayfield will step down as the John Lewis Partnership’s chairman in 2020.

Past president of the Newbury & District Agricultural Society, Sir Charlie, who lives just outside Newbury and was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2013, has been only the fifth chairman in the Partnership’s nearly 100 year history.

He said: “Although my departure is still a considerable way off, the appointment of my successor is a key responsibility.

“It is for this reason I have decided to lay out the timetable now to enable an open and thorough process to select the next Chairman of the Partnership.”

The search for his successor has begun, with an “extensively modernized” process that will be overseen by a Nominations Committee, comprising of two elected directors, two independent non-executive directors and the chairman.

The committee is chaired by Keith Williams, the deputy chairman, and supported by independent recruitment consultants, who will be considering both internal and external candidates.

The new chairman will be announced in the second half of next year.